Meaningful work can happen when creativity and the arts are brought into healthcare and community building. This collaborative, interdisciplinary space can improve quality of life, alleviate social isolation, foster belonging and cultural exchange, and build solidarity.
Taking part in creative activities at all stages of life positively impacts individuals as well as the communities they live in. Research says:
- Participating in 1–3 hours of weekly arts activities can help prevent cognitive decline in older adults, similar to the benefits of 1 hour of exercise.
- For teens, frequent arts participation helped to improve social connections and enhance flourishing.
- Across populations, ongoing cultural engagement like arts, crafts, volunteering, and community groups was associated with fewer emergency room visits and shorter hospital stays.
- Being part of community art groups has been linked to feeling happier, more satisfied with life, and having a stronger sense of purpose.
At the Intersection of Arts and Health
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June 10, 2025
Song a Day Keeping Doctors at Bay in Midwest Choirs
By Amy “Frankie” Felegy
From clef to coda, singers are reclaiming their voices—and so much more—while managing dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
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This Health Center’s Art Collection Is Medicine to Its Community
April 2, 2025
The Oyate Health Center in Rapid City, South Dakota, is just as much a place of healing as it is a place for connection, Native art, and rooting in place.
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The ‘Prosthetic Guy’ Who Crafts Artful Appendages to Empower Patients
June 17, 2025
Nicholas Harrier, a childhood cancer survivor and above-knee amputee, creates custom, free-of-charge “jackets” to be slipped over patients’ artificial limbs. Study shows that this type of engaged process leads to positive outcomes.
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Indigi-Baby: Minneapolis Project Gets Infants Off to a Wholesome Start
February 6, 2024
The Minneapolis-based Indigenous Peoples Task Force has spent nearly a decade developing baby food that’s sustainably farmed and drawn from a traditional, healthy diet.
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In South Dakota, Growing the Field of Arts in Health
February 22, 2024
Artist and educator Ari Albright is leading the way for arts and health through programs and projects that focus on creativity, exploration of ideas, and trying new techniques.
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Retired and Recital-Ready: Dance Keeps Creativity Moving Among Seniors
March 11, 2025
From drum circles to poetry classes, arts programming for those 55+ is flourishing across Indiana. It’s all an effort to bolster creativity and community among older adults.
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Need a Mental Health Boost? Talking Hot Dog is Here
December 19, 2024
A Minnesota-based comic book artist is sharing colorful stories about battling anxiety and other mental health gremlins.
Music & Mental Health In Northern Minnesota
On this episode of Filling The Well, we talk with Sam Miltich, a professional jazz guitarist from rural Minnesota who lives with schizophrenia. Sam shares how he’s found solace in nature and how he’s been able to balance his music career and mental health.
This episode contains discussion about attempted suicide.
5 Tips for Connecting Your Arts Programming to Wellness
Explore tips and examples of how to design arts programming that supports personal and community wellness.
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